Data packet compensation in multi-device media systems

Abstract

Various embodiments relate to data packet compensation in multi-device media systems. A secondary headphone device may include one or more communication interfaces configured to communicate with a primary headphone device over a first wireless communication link. The secondary headphone device may also include a sniffer configured to capture one or more data packets communicated from a media source to the primary headphone device over a second wireless communication link. Further, the secondary headphone device may include communication logic configured to provide reporting information about the captured one or more data packets to the primary headphone device. The communication logic may also receive one or more reply messages from the primary headphone device via the first wireless communication link. The at least one reply message of the one or more reply messages indicating whether or not the sniffer captured each data packet communicated from the media source to the primary headphone device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A secondary headphone device, comprising:
 one or more communication interfaces configured to communicate with a primary headphone device over a first wireless communication link; 
 a sniffer configured to capture one or more data packets communicated from a media source to the primary headphone device over a second wireless communication link; and 
 a communication logic configured to: 
 receive information identifying one or more data packets received by the primary headphone device; 
 compare information regarding the one or more data packets captured via the sniffer to the received information identifying one or more data packets received by the primary headphone device to identify whether at least one data packet received by the primary headphone device was missed by the second headphone device; and 
 in response to identifying at least one missed data packet, transmit reporting information to the primary headphone device indicating the at least one missed data packet. 
 
     
     
       2. The secondary headphone device of  claim 1 , wherein the communication logic is further configured to receive one or more reply messages comprising compensation information for the at least one missed data packet. 
     
     
       3. The secondary headphone device of  claim 2 , wherein the communication logic is further configured to associate at least some of the compensation information with a previously unassociated timeslot. 
     
     
       4. The secondary headphone device of  claim 3 , wherein the previously unassociated timeslot is one of a plurality of time slots, and at least one of the plurality of time slots is associated with the one or more data packets captured via the sniffer. 
     
     
       5. The secondary headphone device of  claim 2 , wherein the compensation information comprises the at least one missed data packet. 
     
     
       6. The secondary headphone device of  claim 2 , wherein the compensation information comprises media content associated with the at least one missed data packet. 
     
     
       7. The secondary headphone device of  claim 1 , wherein the communication logic is further configured to request the information identifying one or more data packets received by the primary headphone device. 
     
     
       8. A method of compensating for missed packets in a multi-speaker media system, comprising:
 capturing, via a first headphone device, one or more data packets communicated over a first wireless communication link between a media source and a second, different headphone device; 
 comparing identifying information regarding data packets transmitted from the media source to the second, different headphone device to identifying information regarding the one or more captured data packets to identify at least one data packet missed by the first headphone device; 
 receiving, at the first headphone device and via a second wireless communication link, a reply message from the second, different headphone device that includes compensation information associated with the at least one missed data packet; and 
 associating, at the first headphone device, the compensation information with a previously unassociated timeslot. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the received reply message comprises media content associated with the at least one missed data packet. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the capturing the one or more data packets comprises capturing the one or more data packets via a sniffer of the first headphone device. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the comparing comprises comparing, via the first headphone device, identifying information regarding the data packets transmitted from the media source to the second, different headphone device to identifying information regarding the one or more captured data packets to identify the at least one missed data packet. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the comparing data packets comprises comparing, via the second, different headphone device, identifying information regarding the data packets transmitted from the media source to the second, different headphone device to identifying information regarding the one or more captured data packets to identify the at least one missed data packet. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising sending reporting information about the at least one missed data packet from the first headphone device to the second, different headphone device. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising requesting, from the second, different headphone device, the identifying information regarding data packets transmitted from the media source to the second, different headphone device. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising transmitting setup information from the first headphone device to enable the one or more data packets communicated over the first wireless communication link between the media source and the second, different headphone device to be captured by the first headphone device. 
     
     
       16. A secondary headphone device, comprising:
 a sniffer configured to capture one or more data packets communicated from a media source to a primary headphone device; and 
 a communication logic configured to:
 receive information regarding data packets sent by the media source and received by the primary headphone device; 
 compare information regarding the captured one or more data packets to the received information to identify one or more missed data packets; 
 transmit information identifying the one or more missed data packets to the primary headphone device; and 
 receive at least one reply message from the primary headphone device, the reply messages comprising compensation information corresponding to the one or more missed data packets. 
 
 
     
     
       17. The secondary headphone device of  claim 16 , wherein the compensation information comprises at least one missed data packet of the one or more missed data packets. 
     
     
       18. The secondary headphone device of  claim 16 , wherein the compensation information comprises media content associated with at least one missed data packet of the one or more missed data packets. 
     
     
       19. The secondary headphone device of  claim 16 , wherein the communication logic is further configured to receive setup information from at least one of the primary headphone device and the media source to enable the sniffer to capture the one or more data packets. 
     
     
       20. The secondary headphone device of  claim 16 , wherein the communication logic is further configured to maintain a log identifying the one or more captured data packets. 
     
     
       21. The secondary headphone device of  claim 16 , wherein the communication logic is further configured to transmit notification information to the media source, the notification information identifying the secondary headphone device and an intent of the secondary headphone device to sniff data packets transmitted by the media source. 
     
     
       22. The secondary headphone device of  claim 16 , wherein the communication logic is further configured to provide identification information about the secondary headphone device to the media source via at least one of a first wireless communication link including the primary headphone device and a second wireless communication link independent of the primary headphone device. 
     
     
       23. The secondary headphone device of  claim 16 , wherein the communication logic is further configured to request from the primary headphone device the information regarding data packets sent by the media source and received by the primary headphone device.